Process op producing pottery



Dec. 19, 1939. w. SALlSBURY 2,183,944

PROCESS OF PRODUCING POTTERY Filed Dec. '7, 1936 Patented Dec. 19, 1939oamonimn Primer,

. Application December 7, 1936,. Serial No.114,572

This invention relates to a process of producing pottery.- 1

This invention has utility when incorporated in the production ofceramics, more particularly 5 articles formed, from a multiple ofp're-formed sections-prior to assembly one with the other; I

Fig. 5 is a section through a finished hollow ceramic article, hereinshown as a teapot;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the article of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary plan view of the article of Fig. 5. Y In theproduction of ware hereunder, pug mill I simultaneously extrudes aplurality of streams of base material 2, which may be clay found in thenatural state or treated to bring such to a "semi-plastic state,recognized in the art as a consistency too heavy for suitable manualform--' ing. Cutting mechanism 3 slices the streams into gobs l to bedeposited in sets upon continuously moving conveyor 5. The gobs 4 are ofthe same size and in that the plurality ofstreams 2 are simultaneouslyextruded from a common batch, the gobs 4 are of nearly identicalconsistency, weight, and specific gravity.

As the gobs 4 approach forming stations 5, I, operators of presses 8, 9,approximately simul- 40 taneously remove a pair of the gobs and placeone into each of the machines, where they are formed into ceramicsectional pieces later to be assembled into a finished article. Themachine 8 is provided with spinner Ill, female die or mold w elementi I,and knock-out bottom I2. A descent and ascent of the spinner I0 into andout of the female die II following charging is subsequently followed bya. shifting of the knock-out bottom I2 lifting a finished section I3which may be 50 placed onto the conveyor 5 to continue to other stationsfor further treatment.

The machine 9 has had the spinner 10, female die II, cooperate with thelmocIr-out bottom I! to form anadditional section [4, which likewise 55is placed upon the conveyor 5 adjacent the section I3. The spinners orplungers I0, molds or dies I I, and knock-out bottoms I2, are all ofsteel or other suitable metal, wherein there is no absorption ofmoisture from the clay parts as formed thereon a and which may beoperated it speedily for continuous production. Flattened faces IS onthe spinners Ill serve to provide a polish on the clay parts and alsofacilitate withdrawal of the spinners. from the molded or stamped piece.The polish is the apparent result 10 of forcing the fines in the gobtoward and onto the surfaces of formed sections with an evendistribution thereof caused by the wiping action of the spirmingmetallic dies.

The sections I3, It, are then carried in pairs 1% by the conveyor intochamber I6, which may be heated by burners H to a predeterminedtemperature. Herein the sections l3, I4, are dried and otherwiseconditioned to transfer them from their semi-plastlc state to a green orform- 29 hard state, which allows a ready manual handling withoutfurther shaping or distorting the parts. By maintaining the sections I3, H, in pairs, approximately simultaneously pugged, formed andconditioned, and of similar mass, 25 they emerge from this conditioningchamber with a nearly identical consistency throughout the mass thereof.For example, there is shown herein ahollow ceramic article in the formof H a teapot, the section I3 forming the upper por- 39 tion thereof,and the section I I, the base.

The section I3 has a seat I8 about the lower periphery thereof merginginto triangular crosssectional extension i9, terminating in inner edge20. The section I4 is provided with an exterior 35 peripheral seat M ofan extent equivalent to the seat l8, merging into an interior seat 22,with equivalent extent and angularity as the seat I9. When the seats arebrought together, there is a nicety of interfitting relationship. Thisoperm ation may beperformed at station 23, the operator first dippingone or both of the seat portions into slip 24, a suspension of clay inliquid or other cohesion-promoting material. The parts are then pressedtogether and by inserting the hand through the opening 25 of the part53, the edge 20 can be firmly pressed toward the face or seat 22manually or by a tool. There is a welding or cementing of these partstogether and the accurately interiitting seats formed by the metal diesare brought in full face contact with each other completely about theperiphery ofthe parts. Excess slip may be wiped away. The wiping of theexcess slip from the joint'at the station 23 fills in any p sible pitsor rough edgw as content of each section adjacent the seats. Thisinsures an approximately identical cure adia'centthe seats or joint in'each piece so that the consistency of the base material is the same 'ateach side otthe joint for a substantial dis- 1,;tance;therefrom, a

,fIhe as sel,nbly of the two sections being com- ,pletejtheoperator atstation 23 may'then' re- [place the partially-completed article on theconveyorvfi onin some products the article may be twopieces.

. nsem e: hen Passes t tatiaa t a D tor ,thereat m bv h u e xsuitable io. 1;: insta ces ii 'thel'plis t beliurtheri operation was 1 may 1 Theware relationship with the openings 28L 1 The article is then replaceduponi thefconveyor and travels to station '32," whereat it may-receivehandle 33,

8 t replaced upon the same a d travels to station?, where itmayfbef'removed and i placedupo'n trucks fllfor transfer forv furtherconditioning and thence to 'kiin"s"ior..'flrin'g. The

, "trucks135 maybefmoved directly to a condiartioning room or tofa',place for glazing priorto .thflringt l a I In'theinstancejthe'article'lis'a teapot, it may be 'later sup'plied with acover 38, a'nda clip 31 may be 'slidablyj attached to the" upper "por-"45 'tion 'oi'the handle Q33, whim clip may have ex- :tension38-throu'gh the opening 29, and when in use have such extensionpver thecover to maintain it in place. ""By'fg'rasping the handle 33', the"thumb of" the holder is' v easily brought 50 into contact with" theclip 31 which ma'yreadily be moved into and out of 'cover holdingposition} V By'the' use of non-porous dies approximate- 1ysimultaneously shaping the major sections, 55 as'well as'ia commonconditioning thereof, there is maintained an equivalent homogeneity andmoisture content in each section, so that at the into complement I rimportions on the said elements, fdry equal 'nia's's, shaping" sa intocomplemehtal elem ms of a container, and in said shaping forming mtriltting portions 30 1 on thesaid elements," drying said elementsequalcontainer.

areas joinder there hasbeen produced like base niaterial in each pieceespecially at the seats, so that there can be a ready cementingtogether. This process also permits the use of a continuous movingconveyor for mass production of 6 hollow ceramic ware.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

' 1.'In a process for producing pottery, comprising pugging clay to adegreeotstiiiness be- 10 yondthat suitable normally. for jig geringthereof, simultaneously forming [a portion or the m s d i9 4! i tqs P9Sa aa p o i a e equal me h lns'sa s bs'iih" se ame m lds elements of acontainer; with elements "equally to astag'e where r tually nonadhesiver ,,p a;mni lm afslipfabuttingfs'aid "ted mportionsfior 'ei-'iectingi'ass'embi'yf in a. container, ,and firing '2 theassembly-thereb' uniting the cgomplemental elements to form" acontainer; ie q'ef openings 28 therethrougn'; and [in r v p s s phas nday'- 1 e r I fi'ne l e -yond that suitable no'rmallyfior ilggeriiig"there- '2; In "a process for producing pottery,f' coinof,"simultaneously forming" at p p or .vthe .pugged-clay int ahpairnfl gpfir a'pplzox imat i sm e m lds,

1y to" a stage where they arsmutually non-{adhesive, coating the portionwith a slip, abutting said coated 'rimportions for effecting registeringassembly therebetweeninto a container, 36

'andiflringthe assembly thereby uniting :the

complemental' elements to mini a container.

3. In a process for producing pottery, comprising pugging clay to adegree'of stifin'ess be-' yond that" suitable normally'forjiggeringthereto oL'simUItaneously forming a'portion of the .pugged clay into "apair of gobs of approximate equal mass, placing saidgobs in'separatemolds, pressing said gobs in. said m'oldsby means of separate plungers,and during said pressing operation rotating said plungers' relativetosaid gobs and molds, said molds and plunger being shaped to form saidgobs into complemental elements of a containerwith rim portionson thesaid elements, drying saidelementsequally' to a stage where they aremutually -non-adhesive, coating the rim'portion witha -slip, abuttingsaid coated rim portions for effecting assembly into a container, andfiring the assembly thereby uniting'the complemental elements to form aWILLIAM sat-isnrmr.

